Sense of Control and Belonging: How Hotel Brands Counter Consumers’ Perceived Threats During a Public Health Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the tourism and hospitality industries hard, posing health risks to consumers and vastly affecting their psychology and behavior. Drawing on protection motivation theory and self-determination theory, this study investigates hotel consumers’ brand preferences between strong brands and others during the crisis and the underlying mechanisms. In Study 1, questionnaires were collected online (based on the Credamo platform) and offline (at a university in Southwest China) for analysis. In study 2, 437 valid questionnaires from China were modeled through the Credamo platform using a structural equation model. The results reveal that: (1) during the crisis, consumers show a preference for strong hotel brands; (2) individuals’ perceived severity and perceived vulnerability to the crisis positively influence their attitudes toward strong brands; and (3) the need for control and the need to belong mediate this effect. This study expands and enriches both self-determination theory and protection motivation theory, offering valuable management implications for hotel managers in formulating effective service and marketing strategies.